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Pope in profile and a recumbent cherub

Maker

(artist)
1618-1682

Title

Date of Production

(circa) 1670 - 1682

Medium

black and red chalk, with red ink framing lines (recto), some pen and brown ink marks on the verso, on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 13.3 cm
Width: 19.3 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.151

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

This fresh sketch unites two unrelated studies: a lively cherub with summarily indicated wings and the expressive head of a male figure identified by the papal crown, or tiara, as a pope. Gazing upwards with eyes wide open and lips slightly parted, he is shown as if transported by a vision. The combined use of red and black chalks achieves a pictorial effect, which is rich despite the lightness of touch.

Provenance

Sir William Stirling Maxwell, London (1818-1878); by descent to his son, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow (1866-1956); his sale, Sotheby's (London), 15 - 16 February 1921, lot 249; presumably purchased there by E. Parsons & Sons (London); their sale, presumably cat. 38, 1921, though does not match any of the Murillo lots as described; purchased there by Sir Robert Witt (1875-1952) (£1.6); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

The Spanish Line - From Ribera to Picasso, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 13/10/2011-15/01/2012

Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1978 (March - May)

Literature

Mulcahy, Rosemary, 'Review: Spanish drawings in the Courtauld Gallery. Complete catalogue. By Zahira Véliz' in 'The Burlington Magazine', September 2011 - pp. 646-47; CLIV
p. 647

Véliz, Zahira, Spanish Drawings in the Courtauld Gallery: complete catalogue, London, 2011
no. 41
Illus. p. 147

Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1978 (March - May)
cat. no. 33

Inscriptions

Watermark: none.

Collector's mark: none.

Inscription: Recto: upper right corner, brown ink: “49”; lower centre edge, brown ink: “Murillo”. Verso: lower left edge, brown ink, upside down, crossed out in brown ink, cut off at edges: “hallara medias [?] como explicar Su voluntad yo q[...] / en la Ren[...]ion de la tracita [?] ello es cosa corta / Y no cabe” [I find means...to explain his wishes that in the...of the sketch [?]...it is something that falls short and does not fit].

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